COMPLETION OF THE COOK STRAITS CABLE.

West Coast Times, Issue 292, 30 August 1866, Page 2

COMPLETION OF THE COOK STRAITS CABLE.

The following congratulatory messages, on the completion of the Cook Straits cable, have passed between his Excellency the G-overnor and the Superintendent of Canterbury :— Tho Governor of Now Healahd congratulates the Superintendent and inhabitants of the province Of Canterbury on the establishment of the telegraphic communication between tho tAAO islands of Now Zealand. To his Excellency the Governor, Wellington I-** The Provincial Government of Canterbury desires, to reciprocate his Excellency's congratulations on the establishment of telegraphic communication betwqen the Mt} islands. B\ J. Taxcred, * ' ' Prcs. Ex. Council.

The visiting constable, iv his report upon Gillespie's Beach, in the Okaritß district, states tJmfc the population there is abdut 200. Out 0? this liunibei-, there are fifty engaged in business other than mining; ami about fifty diggers aru employed in Avorking payable ground, Avhilst the remainder are either prospecting or lying idly by, waiting for something new to break out. The beach is reported as very dull, so many miners having left it, and every day there itt'e fresh departures. There Are U'ehfcy stores upon tho beach, seven ot Avliicn are deserted, arid into such" a lamentable condition has business fallen', that many of the storekeepers leH HVer'4 6iV burring their wares At p'r&es Awiich must entail a ruinous loss to themselves. The place is reported as extremely orderly. The gold escort leaves for the Waiinea today, in charge of Sergeant Holler— ns Sergeant Wilson, on AVhoiu that duty has hitherto devolved, left- tdwii yesterday, having been appointed to the Sangiriri station 1 . A melancholy base ?>f suicide occurred on tlie lßtll imtant> at 'dillfes^iio'S tiedcli— -tile victim' being a miner named Charles Fitzgerald, a native of Limerick, avlio stabbed

himself iv the abdomen with a *heath knife. Death was nol instantaneous, as he lingered several hours afterwards, and in the meantime, in answer to que«tlons ( stated that he dreamed somebody Was stabbing hinv, and on awakening fbutid that frd jlrtd clone so inadvertehUy> lie afterwards ediitradicted himself, and c'ompkined that his head wupi wrong and \ that life was a burden to l\im'. Tlie ilnfortunt'te ira'A died al iv p.m. the same night. There being no coroner for the district, the polico held an enquiry upon Ihe body, and the conclusion arrived at wis, that the deceased had committed suicide. If is remains welt 4 decently interred by his mates and others. After having been resoWed ta for nUriy months aa a faVdi'ifce Idunpfr, wWeWa anceS nii^H. t#hW.ty WA, see, aiid be seen, i WdiUgdliia qi'tttifc game of billiards'^ tlie bil- [ liard room 6Y t^e Vrvnce of \\r;&* (Opera House w abftnt t6 be devoted to another purpdse 5 as we are given to understand that Messrs King and Yewers have leased it, with tho intention of opening a Cafe KestaitrAnt, where refreshments yf ewry kind Mil be »rocured thi'ouglidilt the d\s M nigllt. Tlie iCsseen pfdii\is6 to provide a first-rate entertainment for those who choose, to patronise them, and to spare no ex^ejise Hi ViVe^vfe \\-llatever deHeaciK* «vV» 'tftiViilnauro in this market. We! Avish tlieir undertaking ray prove successful. ', On Tuesday erouuig o, tei menrii'i? v a= lield at'tliy \VeMeyiii ( i^jjel, 'hincred street, its object being to clenr off a debt incurred in erecting a parsonage. Since tho Weslcyaus first congregated for rp%idu"s" purposes in , tllia low 11 bccAVeen.L^d W, JtidOOj.jlaa been | paid .hito j\\e hu'ildWg H>nd t'f them, and tliWv pvtJseilt ileat little place of worship and the minister's residence arc the result of this very liberal contribution.' It, however, failed to quite cover the cost of both buildings, nud B> tea met?r,»ilg Was decided lipo.i as a means Whereby the od'tstaucjiiig BAlaiiee agtuiisi the comiintte^ WUi't U liquidated. This amounted to El5O, but the proceeds of the n>eeting,.,Ayo are b/ippv to say', .r^diiocd thut| sum totvGO, p'ndibia proposed by tlie of tlie tbiigitgitllin to hold a fancy bazaar, to free the committee from the remaining liability. The meeting was an eutire success, and deservedly so, as every preparation had been made to onsuro a pleasant evening. The interior of the church Avaa beautifully decorated with festoons of evergreens, flags, and flowers. Tho usual seats had been removed to make room for ten tastefully- : arranged tables, covered Avith a Vety tempting spread of cakes, tea, &c., which Avere supplied by different members of the Wesleyau persuasion, at their own private cost. At halfpast six o'clock the chair was taken by G-. S. Sale, Esq., and after due justice had been done to the good things provided the meeting was addressed by the Eev. Mr Cannel, Eev. ' Mr White (Grey mouth), Key. Mr Drake, and : Messrs Eees an-1 J. B. Clark. During the ] intervals the choir sang selections of sacred ] music from the works of: the most celebrated i

composers. Mi- Hollowell officiated at the iiuriuoiiium. Mr Aluorn moved n vole of thanks to tho ladies who had kindly consenfed to pivsido ut the diii'ercnt table.-., which wus seconded by Mr Harrison, and heartily responded to. Mr F. L. Clark moved a vote of thanks to tho chair, in a few trite remarks in which ho eulogised Mr Sale as one ever ready to promote such movements as the present and who had conducted (he meeting most übly. Mr Sale returned thanks for tho honor congratulated the Wesleyau body iv llokifcika on the progress it was making ami I commended the unllugging energy it dis- i played. Tlie proceedings turmin.r, i n ,i tho National Anthem, which amu, mm,. >> ohoir, all present joining in therefr.iin '•-- f . C'obb's (oudi arrived from Uhnstt Ua^.'-.t^,. e\ oning in advance oi if h us-uul I *>s£&: \'' ' driver lhat the road i< m i--i^H^r j V- " and tlie 1 1» o-, • , '„ 1 • - ; v^ nu.iuus ol' \lt\w-. .i-fi.i . .- -..._,^ ' ' S Wuke iv the yansuiigei' ijst, '^^